Lamp support



D. S. GARBER Feb. 9, 1937.

LAMP SUPPORT Filed May 24, 1935 Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to a lamp support particularly adapted for supporting one or more lamp means used in motion-picture photography, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple and efficient suspended support on which one or more lamps may be properly and conveniently arranged.

It is the present practice in the motion-picture art to install each lamp separately at a distance above the floor of the set by individual floorsupported bases, or to erect temporary supports for each set and place thereon the required number of lamps after erection thereof. The former system is undesirable in that it involves excessive space and inconvenience, the necessary supports and wires disposed on the floor forming a serious hazard to studio employees. The latter system is undesirable in that it not only requires the use of a large quantity of lumber for each installation, but also labor incident to the erection of such supports.

It is an object of my invention to provide a lamp support which is suspended above the floor, thereby permitting free passage of employees therebeneath and removing hazards resulting from wires, standards, etc. disposed at floor level.

It is another object of my invention to provide a unitary lamp support on which a plurality of lamps may be mounted, and whereby the entire support, or that part thereof carrying the lamps, may be transported as a unit from one set location to another, thus eliminating the necessity of individually installing the lamps at each set. When temporary supports are erected contiguous to the set it is necessary to hoist the lamps to and from the platform of the support. This necessitates the employment of one man to conduct the hoisting operation and another man on the .platform to secure the lamps in position 4 thereon. These difiioulties are overcome by use "of my invention.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a support of the character described in "which the lamps may be affixed to the platform on the floor of the set or in the studio shops, the entire unit being transported to a desired set of suspension hangers disposed above floor level.

It is a further object of the invention to adjustably suspend the platform so that the level and inclination thereof may be adjusted, thus permitting simultaneous shifting of the beams of light without individual adjustment thereof. It is a further object of the invention to provide a suspended lamp support which can be ad justed in level and angular positions by an operator standing thereon.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made evident hereinafter to those skilled in the art. 5

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, though it should be clear that the embodiment to be hereinafter set forth in detail is merely illustrative and that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of my lamp support and hanger mechanism forming a part thereof.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the lamp support and hanger. 20

Fig. 3 is a section taken as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is a iragmental perspective view of the removable lamp-supporting platform of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental elevation of one end of the platform illustrating a means for holding same in position on the hanger members.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational View, partially in section, of the upper part of one of the hanger members and illustrates one of the chain elements for suspending the lamp support from an overhead structure.

Fig. '7 is a iragmental elevation illustrating the connection of one of the guard rails to a hanger member.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental perspective view of my lamp support.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the numeral I illustrates one of the overhead supports disposed above floor level and shown as comprising a longitudinal beam which may be positioned \at one side and above a predetermined location fora set and properly secured in place in a manner well known in the art. If desired, these longitudinal beams may extend entirely across the upper part of the studio building and remain a permanent fixture thereof.

, My lamp support includes a pair or set of identically constructed hanger frames 2 each consisting of side bars 3 braced at their upper ends by transverse bars 4 and at their lower ends by transverse bars 5. Angularly extending bars 6 may be secured to the side bars 3 and transverse bars '4 for bracing the side bars at this point.

Extending between the lower ends of the hanger frames 2 is a lamp-supporting platform 1.

This platform may be constructed in various ways, the form illustrated providing parallel rails 8 with angle members 53 secured to the lower end surfaces thereof, the vertical portion ID of these angle members 9 being adapted to fit over the transverse bars 5 for detachably mounting the lampsupporting platform on the hanger frames 2.

A plurality of transverse slat elements H are secured in spaced relation on the parallel rails 8 by nails or screws, not illustrated, and a pair of parallel rails 52 are similarly secured to the upper end surfaces of the slat elements H. If desired, screen material l3 may be arranged below the slat elements ii, being held in position a at the ends thereof by rails 6 and 12. This screen material prevents tools, etc. from falling through the openings between the slat elements. A pair of parallel bars it are secured to the inner side surfaces of the rails 8 and serve to reinforce the platform I at this point.

The lamp-supporting platform I is suspended from the longitudinal beams I by means which are preferably adjustable to permit raising or lowering the platform and changing the angular position thereof to simultaneously adjust the positions of the beams of light. In the form illustrated the suspending means is shown as including four chains [5, the upper links of which are detachably connected to hook elements forming a part of hanger members It which are adapted to fit over the longitudinal beams i. The lower ends of these chains 15 are detachably connected to hook members I! which are preferably carried on the upper ends of the side bars 3 of the hanger frames 2. Various other methods of securing the chains to the overhead structure and to the suspended structure may be utilized without departing from the spirit of the invention. In some instances these chains may be replaced ,by other suspending means, preferably-adjustable by an operator standing on the platform 7.

One or more conventional lamps l8 may be secured to the lamp-supporting platform by means to be later described. Energization of these lamp means is preferably accomplished by use of a main cable, not shown, connected to a plurality of receptacles or sockets l9 disposed along the upper rails if. of the platform 1. Each lamp provides a plug 28 and a relatively short cable 2| so that the lamp can be plugged into any of the sockets or receptacles I 9.

If desired, a pair of guard rails 22 may extend between the end frames 2, these rails being provided with studs 23 which fit in sockets 24 carried by the side bars 3 of the hanger frames 2.

The hook members IT, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 6, are attached by means of bolts 25 to the upper ends of the side bars 3 of the hanger frames 2. The hook members I! are of the snap type and are so arranged that their looped ends 25 are located slightly below the upper end of the hanger bars 3 in each instance. It is obvious that other types of hooks may be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Latches 27, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 5, are pivoted at their upper ends to the inner faces of the hanger bars 3 and are adapted to be swung into engagement with the upper surfaces of rails 52 so as to prevent the release of the platform 1 from the frames 2. The latches 21 are rounded at their lower ends to facilitate the swinging of the latches to and from an operative position, and when in locking position lie wholly within the side marginal edges of the hanger bars 3, thereby protecting the latches against accidental release by contact with foreign objects.

It will thus be clear that my invention provides a flat-supporting platform I detachably connected to the hanger frames 2. The entire unit is easily assembled, and, if desired, can be moved as a unit from one set location to another. However, it is usually preferable to transport the lamp-supporting platform I and its associated lamps from one set location to another as a unit, attaching it to the hanger frames 2 in its new location.

In order to facilitate the lifting of the platform l to or from the hanger frames 2, I preferably use a pair of strap elements 28 which are bolted to the opposite sides of the platform and disposed in staggered relation, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. These strap elements 28 are provided with rings 29 at their upper ends into which fit the respective ends of a lifting cable or element 30, said lifting cable or element having an eye 3! at its central portion to which a suitable gripping means may be attached for lifting the platform 7 from engagement with the hanger frames 2, or for elevating the platform with the lighting unit secured thereon from the floor of the building to the hanger frames. The elevating and. lowering of the platform may be accomplished either by a block and tackle or by use of a conventional studio crane.

One or more of the lamps I 8 may be secured in any desired manner to the removable platform 1 and can be transported therewith as a unit from one hanger structure to another. In this manner the lamps may be afiiXed to the platform on the floor or in the studio work-shops. While any suitable means can be used to mount each of the lamps 53 on the platform, I prefer to use a lamp-supporting means shown as including a U-shaped bracket 32 having a lug 33 on the lower surface of the base thereof which may be fitted in one of a plurality of sockets 34 provided in the platform.

To further facilitate simultaneous shifting in position of the lamp beams the platform 1 itself is adjustable. In this connection the angle of the base or platform, as well as its height from the floor, may be changed by placing the hooks ll into different links of the chains 95. This can be done by an operator while standing on the platform. In this manner the angles and positions of the light beams may be changed simultaneously. If it is desired to direct the full force of the light beams upon the set or some particular part of the set, the operator may pull up on certain of the chains so as to position the platform I in different angular planes, thus directing the beams to different portions of the set to be illuminated.

In the motion-picture art it is often desirable to utilize a bank of lamps in a given position for flood-lighting purposes. The transportation of such a bank of lamps from one position to another is facilitated by my invention for the entire platform unit, with lamps attached, can be transported, thus saving time and expense in the production of motion pictures. Otherwise, it is necessary to install each lamp separately at each set. Further, my invention permits saving of valuable space and places the lamp support out of the way of studio employees walking around and adjacent the set. It also dispenses with the otherwise necessary cables disposed under-foot on the floor and thus eliminates a serious hazard to employees.

It should be understood that by providing this particular type of lamp support, which is especially adapted for use in connection with the movingpicture industry, a device is provided which is easy to handle, which saves erection and labor charges, and which possesses a maximum amount of safety. The structure illustrated and described may be erected very quickly and conveniently hung in a desired position relative to a picture set and moved to another set without dismantling the same.

It should be understood that certain detailed changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention so long as the changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Serial No. 675,997, filed June 15, 1933.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lamp support of the character described,

including: an above-the-floor suspension means;

a plurality of chain means connected to said suspension means; a plurality of rigid hanger frames supported by said chains; a platform detachably connected to said hanger frames; lamp means on said platform; means for holding said platform in fixed position on said hanger frames, said platform and lamp means being removable as a unit from said hanger frames; and hook means associated with said hanger frames adapted to engage different links of said chain means for changing the level of said platform to raise or lower this level and change the angular position thereof thereby changing the angular position of said lamp means.

2. A lamp support of the character described, the combination of: an overhead supporting structure; a set of hanger frames; a plurality of chain means for suspending said set of hanger frames from said overhead structure; a platform detachably mounted on said frames; lamp means carried by said platform, said platform, said chain means, and said lamp means being removable as a unit from said supporting structure; and hook means associated with said hanger frames and engageable with different links of said chain means for changing the height of said platform and the inclination thereof.

3. In a lamp support of the character described, the combination of: an overhead supporting structure; a plurality of hanger frames formed of upright and transverse bars; chain means connecting between said overhead supporting structure and said upright bars for suspending said hanger frames from said structure; a platform detachably mounted on said transverse bars; lamp means carried by said platform, said hanger frames and platform being removable as a unit from said chain means; and hook elements connected to said upright bars and engageable with different links of said chain means for changing the height of said platform and the inclination thereof.

4. In a lamp support of the character described, the combination of: an overhead supporting structure; a pair of hanger frames, each of said frames comprising rigidly connected upright and transverse bars; chains connecting between said supporting structure and said upright bars; a platform detachably mounted on said transverse bars; lamps carried by said platform; and hook means associated with said upright bars and engageable with different links of said chains for changing the height of said platform and the angular position thereof thereby changing the angular position of said lamps.

5. In a lamp support of the character described, the combination of: an overhead supporting structure; a plurality of rigid hanger frames each consisting of upright bars and. transverse bars connecting said upright bars; chain elements connecting between said supporting structure and said upright bars; a platform mounted on said transverse bars; lamp means on said platform, said hanger frames, platform and lamp means being removable as a unit from said chain elements; latch means for holding said platform on said hanger frames; and hook means associated with said upright bars adapted to engage different links of said chain elements for changing the level of said platform to raise or lower this level and change the angular position thereof thereby changing the angular position of said lamp means.

6. In a lamp support of the character described, the combination of: an overhead supporting structure; rigid hanger frames each consisting of upright bars and necting between said upright bars; a platform mounted on said transverse bars; lamps carried by said platform; a plurality of non-rigid elements connecting between said overhead supporting structure and said upright bars for supporting said hanger frames and said platform from said supporting structure; latch members on said hanger frames adapted for adjustment to hold said platform in position on said hanger frames; and hook elements on said upright bars adapted for selective engagement with said nonrigid elements for changing the level of said platform to raise or lower this level and change the angular position thereof thereby changing the angular position of said lamps.

'7. In a lamp support of the character described, the combination of an overhead supporting structure; a plurality of hanger frames; a plurality of chain elements, each of said chain elements connecting between said supporting structure and the upper ends of said hanger frames; a platform detachably mounted on said hanger frames; lamp means carried by said platform; latch members carried by said hanger frames for holding said platform in position thereon, said chain elements, hanger frames, platform and lamp means being removable as a unit from said supporting structure; and hooks on said hanger frames adapted to engage different links of said chain elements for changing the level of said platform to raise or lower this level and change the angular position thereof thereby changing the angular position of said lamp means.

DAVID S. GARBER.

transverse bars con- 

